Trees, Stars, and Birds 



Species of ash. Black ash may be distinguished from 

 other native species by its sessile leaflets ; that is, each 

 leaflet is attached to the common leafstalk without even 

 a short stalk of its own. Blue ash may be recognized 

 by its square branchlets. The branchlets and leafstalks 

 of red ash are downy, those of the white ash smooth. 

 Where only these four kinds grow, they can be dis- 

 tinguished in this way ; but four other kinds grow in 

 the eastern half of the United States, and several others 



farther west. The fol- 

 lowing points may 

 prove helpful in rec- 

 ognizing the different 

 kinds: 



The inner bark of 

 the blue ash will give 

 a blue color to water. 

 The bark on the 

 branches of the red ash 

 has a more decidedly 

 reddish brown color 

 than the bark of other 

 species. Black ash has 

 very dark-colored buds. 

 White-ash leaves are 

 usually whitish under- 

 neath. Green-ash leaves 

 are brighter green than 

 the leaves of other 



U. S. Forest Service . . 



T? AT,* AT n. <- i- species. Pumpkin ash, 



FIG. 31. Ash trees in a North Carolina 



forest. which grows in the 



